


Jorvegian Fire Weed

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-02 08:26:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19195255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: The group goes on another camping trip after Daine returns from his honeymoon. This one is just as chaotic as the first. Daine and Ezra belong to HellishSam, Cadence, Willow, and Shane belong to willownorthbook, and Astor, Jay, and Hollis belong to SpaceUnicornDot.





	1. Chapter 1

It was good to be home. After visiting several places in both this world and another, Daine felt more relaxed than he had in a while. He was married, Ydris was his forever, and whatever the future held, well, they’d face it together. Just as they should have all along. And, as soon as his feet touched Jorvegian soil again and Daine felt the jolt of his fire powers returning, he felt like he was truly at home. A home that would not throw him out for who he was, that would not turn its back on him, a home that would always be there for him, even if it hurt sometimes. But what Daine wanted now, more than anything, was to just enjoy this home for a while. Surely, Jorvik could hold off on any other apocalyptic events for a while. Just long enough for him to catch his breath.

Unfortunately, Daine’s friends had other ideas. He got only one day to rest, one night to sleep off the jet lag, and then his phone was vibrating with a call first thing in the morning. Daine opened his eyes and glared at the phone, resisting the urge to growl. He picked it up and, seeing that it was only Hollis’ name, put it back down after ending the call and burrowed back under the covers.

Hollis didn’t call again, and Daine sighed in relief, thinking that he was safe. Until he felt himself being lifted from the bed, still wrapped in the sheets, and dropped. Daine screamed, flailing about, and yelped when he landed in a water trough.

“Astor, I swear to fuck!” Daine yelled, surging up out of the water and trying to peel the sodden sheets off of himself.

“Answer your phone!” Hollis yelled from somewhere nearby, and now Daine did growl.

“Ydris isn’t gonna be happy you ruined his favourite bedsheets,” said Daine, frowning down at himself.

“Breadstick can suck it,” said Astor.

“Excuse me, that’s my husband you’re talking about,” said Daine.

“Whatever, I’m just glad you’ve got some clothes on,” said Hollis. “Don’t need to lose my appetite this early in the morning.”

“Shut the fuck up,” said Daine. “Why did you wake me? Can’t a guy get some rest?”

“Your sister missed you so Astor and I organised a camping trip,” said Hollis. “Just this weird little family unit we’ve got going. Me, Cade, Astor, your actual dad, Evergray, Willow, Jay, Louisa, Lisa, Shane, and you and your husband if he wants to come.”

“Yeah, I dunno if Ydris is the camping kind of guy,” said Daine.

“Maybe not but he won’t leave your side,” said Hollis. “So, as Astor said, breadstick can suck it.”

“Fine but you have to listen to his whining too,” said Daine.

And Ydris did whine. A lot.

“Camping?” Ydris asked when Daine suggested it, looking as if Daine had suggested he muck a pig sty. “Wasn’t once enough?”

“I thought you liked Jorvik,” said Daine.

“From a distance,” said Ydris. “We’ve barely been at home a day and you want us to leave again?”

“It was Hollis and Astor’s idea,” said Daine. “I didn’t want a repeat of the Valentine’s Day chase so I agreed. C’mon, it won’t be so bad. I’ll be there.”

“Fine,” said Ydris with a heavy sigh and a roll of his eyes. “But you can set my tent up for me.”

“Yeah, that’ll last,” said Daine. “C’mon, let’s get the horses.”

Though Daine normally took a different horse out with him, right now, he wanted to be close to Cloud. He’d missed his son while he’d been away, and, judging by the way Cloud nuzzled him, Cloud had missed him, too. Ydris was still grumbling as he tacked up an equally-displeased Zee. Daine shook his head in amusement as he listened to Ydris complain. This was what it always should have been like. At least it could be like this now. Ydris had promised that it would be in his vows.

Daine met his friends at the entrance to Mistfall, the place that he planned to move to as soon as he’d caught his breath after travelling so much for his honeymoon. But thoughts of moving were the last thing on his mind as he greeted his pseudo-family with hugs and a few tears.

“Did you have a nice time?” Willow asked as they set off.

“A lot better than I was expecting, actually,” said Daine. “Did you know Ydris gets seasick?”

“Daine, you promised you wouldn’t tell!” Ydris all but wailed. Daine snickered along with Willow.

“Did you go to all the places you wanted to go to?” Louisa asked.

“I did,” said Daine. “Never thought I’d get to see more of the world.” He gave a fond smile at the memory, at the emotions that welled up. He’d never thought that he’d ever see more than his first home, and now here he was, in a different place, much happier, having seen not just this world but another world too.

“And did it help Mr Evil change his mind?” Astor asked.

“Had Daine not already convinced me to change my ways, it certainly would have,” said Ydris. “Though, it actually served a dual purpose. Daine would show me a wonderful place here, and then I’d tell him about a wonderful place from my home. Or at least, a place that used to be wonderful.”

“Okay, rule number one for this trip,” said Willow, raising a finger. “No talking about Pandoria or the druids or Soul Rider business or any of that shit. We’re here to have a good time.”

“Hear, hear,” said Shane as the rest all nodded in agreement.

“A wise decision,” said Ydris. “I will try my best to keep my mouth shut.”

The conversation turned to different topics on the way to their campsite that Hollis and Astor had picked out. Ezra and Evergray joined them in Dundull, Evergray not wanting to travel too far due to his Pandorian sickness making breathing difficult. Daine embraced his father for a long time, though he had bumped into him a few times on his honeymoon. Ezra had joked that he was just keeping an eye on his new son-in-law, but Daine knew better. Not that he could blame his father for wanting to stay close after a life spent not knowing his son even existed.

The campsite was in much the same place as last time, though this was nearer to the forest. Daine felt oddly at home here, with the wind sighing through the pine needles as he set about erecting the massive tent that Ydris had summoned into existence. That was one perk of having a husband who cheated with magic, he guessed. Even if said husband also set up a banana lounge to sit back sipping a cocktail while watching his husband work over the tops of his pink sunglasses.

“Ass,” Daine muttered, shooting a glare at his husband. Ydris only smiled serenely at him.

“I’ll be right back, I have to do something,” Willow murmured upon seeing this, and disappeared into the forest. Her powers had progressed a lot with all that had happened, and now, it was easy to locate the hidden seeds within the earth and bring them to the surface in a little clearing. The purple blooms and red stems were beautiful, but she knew that they’d sting like a bitch.

Unlike last time, Daine set up the entire tent himself, glaring at his husband the whole time. It wasn’t exactly hard, but a little help would have been appreciated. Willow and Jay set up their tent, as did Astor, Ezra, and Evergray and Lisa and Louisa, while Shane had a little help from Alonso setting up his tent.

“You are without a doubt the most useless husband in history,” said Daine once he’d finished with the tent and cracked his back. His shirt was gone by now, his chest gleaming with sweat. Ydris looked a little flushed, though definitely not from any kind of exercise.

“Ah, but why should I deprive myself of such a sight?” Ydris asked. Daine stormed inside of the tent, closing the tent flap behind him, and emerged minutes later with an axe.

“I’m going to find firewood,” Daine muttered.

“Daine, wait!” Ydris cried, starting after him. It was hard to get out of his chair, though, and even then, Willow grabbed him by the arm before he could leave.

“Maybe you should let him cool off a bit,” said Willow. “But I have an idea for something you can do to make it up to him.”

“What is it?” Ydris asked, the sunglasses gone now. He looked so sincere, Willow almost felt bad for him. Almost.

“There’s this little cluster of flowers not far into the forest that way,” said Willow, pointing to where she’d gone earlier. “They’re purple with red stems, you can’t miss them. Maybe some flowers will help.”

“You’re absolutely right,” said Ydris, his eyes gleaming. “Thank you, flighty dove!” Willow no longer felt bad for him as she watched him disappear into the forest.

“There’s not actually any flowers in the forest, are there?” Shane asked, seeing the smirk on his sister’s face.

“Nope,” said Willow. “Well, there are, but they’re not a flower. They’re-“ A scream cut her off, followed by Ydris running out of the forest, clutching a bunch of the Jorvegian Fire Weed that Willow had grown specially for him.

“Why are the flowers burning me?” Ydris cried. Willow was laughing so hard that she’d doubled over, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her chest and stomach hurt, and she was pretty sure that she was on her way to bruising a rib. Or dying from lack of oxygen. Jay rushed over, eyes big with concern, but Willow waved him off.

“That’s Jorvegian Fire Weed, you idiot, put that down, where did you find it?” said Astor, smacking the offending weed out of Ydris’ hands. Ydris bent to pick it up, so Astor smacked his face.

“In the forest, Willow told me to pick some for Daine,” said Ydris. He gasped, wheeling on Willow. “You! You did this!” Willow tried to gasp for breath, but by now, she was wheezing.

“What happened?” Louisa asked, emerging from her own tent with Lisa. Seeing the state that Ydris was in, she quickly put two and two together. “Oh my god. Did he really-?”

“He just fucking picked it!” Willow managed to get out. Jay looked torn between laughing and looking concerned, while Hollis and Cadence roared with laughter.

“Why are you making fun of me?” Ydris asked, tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Because you’re an idiot, that’s why,” said Shane, snickering while he recorded it on his phone.

The commotion had died down by the time Daine returned to camp, dragging a small trailer piled with wood behind him.

“The fuck was all that noise I heard earlier?” Daine asked. “And where’s my husband?”

“He picked some Jorvegian Fire Weed that Willow planted especially for him,” said Astor. Daine glared at Willow, who was still giggling. Especially now at the memory.

“He fucking picked it,” said Willow, wheezing.

“Is he okay?” Daine asked. “He could’ve had an allergic reaction or something, he’s Pandorian, he might be allergic to human things.”

“He didn’t have an allergic reaction,” said Astor. “He had an overreaction.”

“Yeah, okay, I’d believe it,” said Daine. “Can I see him?”

“Yeah, Lisa and Louisa got all the nettles out,” said Hollis. “Go and comfort your poor baby of a husband.”

Ydris was lying in the tent on the bed that he’d apparently summoned there, Lisa and Louisa leaning over him to apply healing magic. Lisa was singing something softly, it sounded like a lullaby.

“Astor wasn’t kidding,” said Daine, looking at his husband.

“Is it as bad as it feels?” Ydris asked, his voice weak. “Do my eyes deceive me? Is it truly my husband standing above me?”

“Jesus Christ,” Daine whispered, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Now I’m glad I’ve never seen you sick.”

“It was agony,” said Ydris with a shudder. “I barely escaped with my life.”

“And I thought Fripp was bad,” said Lisa. Ydris took her entirely the wrong way.

“Oh, am I going to make it?” Ydris asked. “Please, healer, tell me I’m going to make it.”

“I dunno, you might lose your hands,” said Lisa drily. Ydris started crying.

Later that night, as the majority of the group (minus Ydris, who was still ‘dying’, and his two healers) sat around the campfire, Daine got his revenge.

“Let’s sing a campfire song,” said Daine. “Just like last time.”

“Do the Pina Colada song,” said Astor. Hollis nodded enthusiastically.

“No,” said Daine. “I think I’m going to sing something different. Something Lisa would probably sing if she was here.” Finding the right chords, Daine began to strum and sing. Badly. Though it started out okay. The first verse was smooth as butter.

“Stooop,” Willow complained, trying to cover her ears as Daine sang the lyrics loudly into her ear, changing pitch every few words, even midword sometimes.

“Never,” said Daine before continuing louder this time.

Shane stood behind Daine and shoved him roughly at the final ‘roads’ so that it trailed off into a scream.

“Thank you for improving it,” said Daine, and continued his terrible rendition of Country Roads. He didn’t see or feel the hand until it was around his ankle, and then Daine was suddenly dragged into the woods with a scream by an annoyed Astor.

“What’s going on out there?” Lisa asked, hearing the distant sounds of a guitar being broken. She poked her head out of the tent.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Willow breezily while Cadence and Hollis had to hold onto each other for support because of how much they were laughing.

“I heard a scream,” said Ydris. “Did something happen to Daine?” He looked about to get up but clearly wasn’t strong enough, flopping back to the bed.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Lisa. “I’m sure your husband will be returned to you just fine.”

“Oh, I hope so,” said Ydris. “I hate camping, it’d be more bearable if he was here.” Louisa patted his hair.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ydris continues to act like he's dying and Willow has had enough.

Mercifully for everyone involved, it only took Ydris a day to recover from his ‘near death experience’. He still had Louisa wait on him hand and foot until he felt better, though, and even then, Lisa forcibly shoved him out of the tent with a pot of cooling cortisone cream after the worst of the burning had passed.

“You’re better,” Lisa said through gritted teeth. “Now, let me enjoy this camping trip with my wife.”

“B-but-“ Ydris protested, but Lisa only stomped away from him while Louisa gave him a sorrowful look.

“Are you sure?” he heard Louisa asking Lisa. “He looks so sad and helpless.”

“That’s how they get you, babe,” Lisa replied. “It’s those sad eyes.”

Ydris huffed, looking down at the pot of cream in his hand while idly scratching at his chest. The healed burn itched like mad now, but scratching it only made the burning sensation return. Scowling at his traitorous fingers, he twisted the top off the cream and smeared some onto his chest. He didn’t normally walk around with his shirt unbuttoned but, well, there wasn’t much point when he constantly needed to apply cream. Besides, the cool air felt good on it.

The main reason that Lisa had gotten rid of Ydris was because she genuinely wanted to spend time with her wife. That time, however, came in the form of a kind of geocaching challenge, only this time taking place in Mistfall rather than the Firgrove region. It also had the Jorvik Rangers running it instead of a teenage boy from Firgrove whose sole purpose in life was to look after the sheep and chickens in the Firgrove sandpit.

Already, Lisa and Louisa were preparing their horses (Starshine, Goldmist, and Trouble who had tagged along because of course he had) while Astor, Ezra and Evergray made a game plan with their own heavy horses. Cadence and Hollis pored over a map of the area too, while Willow studied the first clue that they’d found upon waking and Jay fretted over what to pack. At last, Ydris’ eyes fell on Daine, who was packing a few supplies in Cloud’s saddlebags. The first clue lay across Cloud’s withers where Daine tried to glance at it every so often.

“Man, am I glad to see you,” said Daine as his husband approached him. “Someone needs to read that clue.”

“Anything for you, mon phenix,” said Ydris, snatching up the clue and reading it. He frowned, confused. “The birds and the squirrels? That could be anything, there’s plenty of those in here.”

“Read the whole thing out loud,” said Daine. Ydris nodded.

“See gulls and squirrels, but do not quibble. That doesn’t even rhyme! Who wrote these things?” Ydris huffed.

“Alonso,” said Daine. “Leave him alone, he’s doing his best.”

“Fine,” said Ydris. “But did that clue help at all?”

“Yeah, actually,” said Daine. “Button your shirt up and get Zee and let’s go, I’m pretty sure I know where to go.”

“But the wind will help with my burn,” said Ydris.

“How’d you burn your chest, anyway?” Daine asked. Not that he’d ever had the misfortune of touching that particular weed before because unlike some idiot husbands, he had basic common sense. Most of the time.

“I got caught up thinking about how much you might love the flowers and clutched them to my chest,” said Ydris. Daine rolled his eyes and smiled, shaking his head.

“Alright, fine, you can ride around looking like a character from a trashy romance novel,” said Daine. Ydris gasped.

“They are not trashy, they are wonderful!” Ydris retorted. Daine hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time.

But, as usual, Ydris took no real offense to Daine’s amusement. It was even nice, to ride together through the forest in the direction of Kora’s cottage that Daine had said the clue led to. Ydris loved to watch his husband ride, though Daine seemed to be wonderfully distracted by the surroundings. Not that Ydris minded, though- he was just happy to see his husband so enchanted by the beauty of the natural world. A beauty that Ydris could also see, now that Daine had opened his eyes to it. He just preferred to appreciate it from a distance.

Normally, Kora Pelletier worked out in her garden or hung out in the sunshine with her best bird friend Beeper. But this time, she was noticeably absent, and instead, there was a bundle of tied pieces of paper on the front doormat. There was a scrawled note placed on top of them.

“Take one. Alonso agreed to it. Beeper offered but it would be a waste of his skills. – K”

“Well, she sounds friendly,” said Ydris, sarcasm in his voice after reading the note aloud.

“Kora’s an introvert, leave her alone,” said Daine. “We can’t all be extroverted drama queens like you.” He dismounted Cloud and bent to pick up one of the rolled-up pieces of paper. Judging by the amount there, they were the first to arrive. Standing back up, Daine held the clue out to Ydris. “Read it out for me, I wanna see if we can get to the next one before everyone else too.” His grin made Ydris’ heart do funny things in his chest as he unrolled the clue and read it out.

“A cave with frogs and mushrooms blue, I know where it is, do you?” the clue read. Ydris smiled. “Now, that’s a much better clue! It rhymes and everything.”

“Maybe they’ll only get better from here?” Daine suggested. “Oh, and I know where to go. Remember how we used to come here to Mistfall Lake when we first started really dating?”

“Oh, that wonderful little cave?” Ydris asked. Daine nodded, smiling as Ydris’ eyes lit up. “I love that cave! Perhaps I should invite it to join my Circus of Dreams.” Daine shook silently with laughter. First, it had been the wonderful view at the top of the Red String Trail in Firgrove. Ydris had also said the same thing of an adorable poodle, a very nice sunrise, an equally-nice sunset, a beautiful painting, and Alberta the spider. Daine had screamed at that last one.

The next clue was tied to one of the hanging roots from the cave, and their hands brushed as they reached for it at the same time. Daine smiled at his husband, heart thumping.

“Reminds me of one of our first dates,” said Daine. “We could… just go off and do our own thing, you know. This isn’t really a serious competition, it’s just for fun. I don’t even know what the prize is.”

“Were my chest and hands not still burning, along with my nose, I would gladly take you up on that offer,” said Ydris. He touched the tip of his nose, then yelped.

“Let me do it,” said Daine, grabbing the tub of cream from Ydris’ hand. He applied the cream with surprisingly-deft touches, making Ydris smile at him.

“I do so love it when you look after me,” said Ydris.

“Hey, if Lisa and Louisa don’t wanna be your nurses anymore, I will be,” said Daine.

“You truly mean that?” Ydris asked. Daine nodded at him with a smile. Ydris remembered a time when those smiles had been so rare. Now, every single smile from his beloved phoenix felt like a gift.

By the next afternoon, however, Daine was beginning to severely regret his decision to offer to tend to Ydris’ every need. It seemed like he was being called to his husband to apply cream every hour, and he was beginning to suspect that Ydris was just asking for more of his touch now. Normally, he wouldn’t mind giving that affection, but not when Ydris stopped him every time it even began to approach steamy.

“Okay, you know what? I’m done,” said Daine, setting aside the pot of cream and walking away from his husband who was splayed out on the bed. He looked too inviting, but Daine knew that Ydris would only push him away.

“What? What’s wrong, my phoenix?” Ydris asked, sitting up with his coat hanging open around him. Daine looked everywhere but at his husband’s chest. Aside from the obvious pain of sheets rubbing against his ‘grievous wound’, Daine’s natural body heat would aggravate the rash on Ydris’ chest and hands. Probably nose too, or at least, that was the excuse that Ydris used for not kissing his husband.

“I’m sick of not being able to be intimate with you,” said Daine. “Hell, I’d love to be able to kiss you but then the rash on your nose will hurt.”

“I’m not stopping you,” said Ydris. Daine groaned, running his fingers through his hair.

“I know, I just don’t want to hurt you, okay?” said Daine. “I burned you before, I don’t want to remind you of that.”

“Oh,” said Ydris. “My phoenix, I didn’t even think of that. I’m sorry for being such a difficult husband. You deserved better than this.”

“I miss being the carefree kid who didn’t care about anything,” said Daine. Maybe then, he wouldn’t be fretting so much about hurting his husband, maybe then he’d actually be able to kiss him and do more with him without worrying so much.

“Daniel,” said Ydris, reaching for him. Daine brushed him off, rising to his feet and leaving the tent. “Daine, wait, where are you going?”

“Going to check the horses,” said Daine.

Willow hadn’t intended to be near Daine and Ydris’ tent when Daine left, looking upset. She frowned at the tent, seeing that Ydris didn’t follow his husband out. She could imagine what had happened, and, though she knew that it wouldn’t be as bad as it had been before, she still hated to see her soul brother so upset. Ydris needed to pay, in some small way. Even if this was because of the first revenge that Willow had gotten.

While Daine disappeared in the direction of the horses, Willow waited near the tent, waiting for Ydris to inevitably emerge from the tent. Maybe she could convince a tree root to grow to trip him up? Or a thorn for him to catch his sleeve on? Maybe even a patch of poison ivy? It wouldn’t burn anywhere near as much as the Jorvegian Fire Weed, but he’d probably still be a big baby about it. Sometimes, it was hard to believe that this was the same man who’d once wanted to destroy the world. But Willow still couldn’t entirely forgive him for all that he’d done just because he could be adorably stupid at times.

Willow was almost asleep leaning against a tree by the time Ydris finally left the tent. His shirt was still open, smeared with fresh cream, and he looked… well, ‘woeful’ was probably the most apt description. Maybe he should consider a career as an actor, he was certainly dramatic enough.

While Ydris wandered off into the trees, Willow followed at a safe distance. Jay would probably worry that she was being mean (as would Louisa), but Willow hadn’t felt this determined about something so… fun in such a long time. She couldn’t help but smile as she saw Ydris stop in front of a tree, that morose expression still on his face.

“Oh, noble tree, I confess that I cannot see what you see in living in such a place,” said Ydris. “Sure, the surroundings are beautiful, but at what cost? There are insects that bite and sting, and weeds that look like the most beautiful flowers but burn like fire. How can you stand it?”

Willow let Ydris rant for a while, trying to suppress a snicker while she reached out to touch the tree that Ydris was talking to. It took only the simplest thought to move the branch so that it ‘tapped’ Ydris on the shoulder. A little rougher than expected. Ydris yelped and stumbled forward a step, and Willow muffled a giggle with her hand.

“Go tell someone who cares,” said Willow, deepening her voice a little in what she hoped was a suitable ‘tree-like’ voice. Ydris squealed, actually squealed, and ran out of the forest, screaming about how even nature itself hated him and that he should go home.

Shane found his sister breathless on the forest floor, clutching her ribs as she shook with mirth. He shook his head as he looked down at her.

“You’re a great sister-in-law,” said Shane. Willow wheezed.


End file.
